1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switching element, a method of manufacturing the switching element, and a memory element array.
2. Description of Related Art
As devices are reduced in size and densities are enhanced, it is now required to further miniaturize electric element. As one example, there is known a switching element capable of carrying out a switching operation by applying voltage between two electrodes (interelectrode nanogap) which are separated from each other by a fine gap (see Japanese patent application Laid-open Nos. 07-321292, 10-22403, 08-242008 and 07-273355).
More specifically, there is developed a switching element which is made of silicon oxide and gold, which are stable materials, by a simple producing method called shadow evaporation (inclined deposition). According to this switching element, switching operation can stably be repeated (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2005-79335 and 2007-123828 for example).
In order to make the switching elements disclosed in the above two documents be operative under any atmosphere (e.g. air atmosphere), the entire switching elements can be covered with a sealing member. Thus, in order to make a memory element array where the switching elements (memory elements) of the two documents are aligned in array be operative under any atmosphere, the entire memory element array is covered with a sealing member.
However, when an entire memory element array is covered with a sealing member, it has been problematic that if the sealing member brakes, all switching elements disposed in the memory elements array break down.